How do you Cycle your tank?

[texasfootball21]

I was wondering if anyone has any tips on the cycle process for a new tank. And I have a few questions: Do you run any filters? Do you run your sump? Do you run your refugium? Do you run the lights and skimmer?

[Phurst]

I cycled mine with uncured LR. I ran everything except my MH lights. I did run the actinincs, just because it drove me mad not being able to watch what was going on in there.

[CarmieJo]

I didn't have a fuge when I was cycling but I ran everything else. I do not believe that you should ever cycle a tank using critters. Your LR is all you need.

[wildeone]

Same here, uncured LR. No reason to run any filters, I simply ran mr retrn pump to keep the water moving. You can run some lights, but it is better to only turn them on for viewing. I ran my skimmer, although I don't think that matters much until the cycle is over.

Just don't rush it, majke sure the cycle is over before moving forward. As the cycle progresses, you should see changes in the tank such as a layer of detritus, which will be consumed once you introduce you cleanup crew, may some algae of different types.

Good Luck!

[rroselavy]

I used partially cured LR (1-2 weeks cured at LFS) in my 24g. I made the mistake of not testing the water parameters during the first 4 days, and only caught the end of the slight Ammonia spike in my tests, but did witness the Nitrite and Nitrate spikes after that as I tested every other day. It took 2-3 weeks to settle down to my satisfaction, and I waited another week before my family pressured me into getting some critters. I think the diatom bloom occurred between week 3-4. As long as your parameters are decent and steady, I think the diatom bloom is a good signal that you may be ready for a cleanup crew.

I did not have to use a piece of frozen/fresh shrimp to get the cycle started, nor did I run a skimmer or any lights during this period. Even though I agreed with the LFS that the light would only promote undesirable algae, in hindsight I wished I took a week or two more to discover and solve the temp swings that occurred as soon as I started using the lights before introducing any inhabitants.

One tip in your aquascaping is to keep all rocks away from sides (especially the glass) if you can. This will promote flow (reduce dead spots where detritus collects on - and eventually in - your substrate) and make it much easier to clean the glass surfaces. I wish I had done this, although in a nano cube it proves very difficult to achieve when your trying to provide 1-1.5 pounds of LR per gallon.

HTH.

-Scott

[wvfisher]

I will be using 15 lbs of Marco Rock and 5lb of lr rock rubble from PA. Do you think I will have a very dramatic cycle ( lots of odor and such)? If so I may cycle it in a 18 gal Rubbermaid container with heater and powerhead to move the water. What are your suggestions?

[salt-rookie]

Ammonium chloride and Biozyme! It creates so much biolaod you can put ANYTHING in and it will still have biocapacity to slough off.

[wildeone]

I have about 90 lbs of LR in my 65 and I had no noticible odor during my cycle. Believe me, the wife would have told me if I did!

[CarmieJo]

I've never used any of the cycle in a bottle products. That being stated, IMO why pay for what you can achieve for free with just a little patience? I'd rather save my $$ for critters.

[V]

cycle is good in some cases, Qt tanks for example.

[Amphibious]

I agree with Carmie. I've never used the bottled bio crap. Do it the natural way right from the start. Set the tank up with sand, SW and LR (cured or uncured). There is so much un-needed and un-necessary product on the market it's rediculess. Save your money. Keep asking questions here. Most of us have made mistakes, you don't need to if you ask questions before you buy something/anything.

[Astrivian]

I did use the bottled stuff, but i really don't think it did any good at all. Personally i think it was a waste of money.

Oh well, reef and learn.

I didn't add much to my tank to get it going in terms of LR and LS. I tried rob's method of adding a whole table shrimp and letting it rot in the tank. That kicked it off really quick! Also, since all the water and sand was new and dead, i added a couple of cups of water and live sand from the LFS to add the bacteria.

[wvfisher]

Thanks for the info guys and gal. I will get my rock from Marco Rocks tomorrow and my lr rubble from PA hopefully tomorrow also. If so I will have somethng to do on Saturday!!!!

[V]

Ampage, i wouldn't expect any other answer coming from your lips, thats cause your cool old-school brother!:cool:

Nu lim methods incorporate bactrial strain eddition guys, just dont be so quick to abandon it cause its a shelf product to the means you can aquire natrally. Im not saying all lab grown products are the way to go, quite the oppersite actually. just dont close you mind to the gains that can be hand from modern day convenience.:up:

[texasfootball21]

Thanks. This site is once again a great help.

[goblin072]

I have done it the old way (starter fish) and with the biozyme and fishless.

The fishless method works the best. You use ammonia from a bottle vs from fish pee. No fish get stressed. I think it takes around 10 days or so. At the end of the cycle you can dump in a ton of ammonia and it just vanishes. The colony of bacteria will grow to the load you give it. One fish is not enough of a load to make a giant bacteria colony.

The end result is you have a tank that you can dump 30 fish into and the ammonia and nitrite will not spike.

I did it with my african cichlids , I was able to dump 35 fish into a 55 gallon tank and not a spike it sight. I did it on my 330gallon marine tank and it worked like a charm.

[wvfisher]

I just got a chance to listen to the podcast on "Cycling" and I think I like Rob's idea of using a kitchen shrimp. The only question is how long after you get ammonia do you leave the shrimp? I hope not till it totally rots!!

[rroselavy]

Also, since all the water and sand was new and dead, i added a couple of cups of water and live sand from the LFS to add the bacteria.

I understand the motivation behind this, but wouldn't adding water/sand that you got from an LFS be increasing the chances for nuisance algae? I ask because I recently got some Chaetomorpha from a local LFS and accidentally dumped his tank water into my 24g. Now I am seeing small signs of HA on some of my LR. Yuck! :mad:

-S

[Phurst]

The sand should be fine, it's common practice. I'd probably skip the water though. There's no real difference between adding sand from someone's tank and adding a frag from their tank.

[CarmieJo]

I've given quite a bit of sand away for this purpose. I would not add sand to my established tank for fear of disease but I think it is fine in the case of a new tank. I think that you will get nuisance algae no matter what.